


Dawn of Rebirth

by SoruyaWrites



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Ash Lynx Lives, Ash lives with Max's family, Ash starting over in New York, Eiji is in Japan for most of the fic, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It, Sing gets a mini arc of his own, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28400814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoruyaWrites/pseuds/SoruyaWrites
Summary: Ash Lynx survives his stab wound and is given a second chance at life. Following the Banana Fish case, he tries to tie up loose ends as he creates a new life for himself away from the world of New York's gangs. With Eiji recovering in Japan, all Ash can do is wait and learn to live and accept himself.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I repurposed and expanded the prologue for my other fic "His Last Moments" which depicts Ash's death from his POV. This time, here it is in its original form.

_My soul is always with you._

“Eiji, even if it was only for a little while, I was able to truly be happy with you,” Ash thought to himself as he sat down at Eiji’s usual seat in the library, crying quietly. He placed the letter down on the table and rested his head on top of the crinkled and blood-stained papers to mitigate the dizziness he felt.

“You really meant ‘forever,’ huh? If only I could’ve promised you the same.” Ash smiled through his tears at his regretful thought. “But your being safe, happy, and free from my world of hell is more than enough for me.” Ash closed his eyes and gently brushed his right hand over the letter. “And at least, I can leave this world with a part of you by my side, just as you promised me so many times.” Ash could feel himself going numb, barely feeling any sting from the stab wound. He let himself drift off to sleep.

“Excuse me, you shouldn’t be sleeping here.” Ash didn’t stir at the library assistant’s words, barely registering them. The library assistant looked down more closely at Ash and noticed his peaceful smile.

“Must be a nice dream,” the library assistant said understandingly and walked away.

Several minutes ticked away with Ash feeling himself drift away into darkness. This must really be it. Soon enough, Ash Lynx will no longer be in this world. Even if a few tinges of doubt tugged at his heart, he convinced himself this would be for the best. Eiji would be safe and for himself… well, he could take his own suffering away with him and finally be at peace.

“Someone, please help!” Huh? The words sounded muffled to Ash. It didn’t matter, not like he could do anything about it.

“There’s a man bleeding out here! Someone, please call an ambulance!” Then Ash noticed the faint sound of drops of blood hitting the floor underneath him. He didn’t fear death, but he never envisioned his senses would pick up everything so vividly right before his last moments.

Sirens were blaring outside. There was the sound of doors slamming open. Rushed footsteps against a marble floor. Frantic shouts directed at Ash, asking if he was okay. Ash felt his chair being turned, someone relaying instructions about stopping the bleeding and transporting Ash to the hospital.

The commotion was noisy, and Ash instinctively opened his eyes slightly. His vision was still a blur. Then he felt his breath leave him suddenly as two people tried to lift him off the chair. It wasn’t a difficult task, as Ash offered little resistance. However, Ash opened his right hand, and realized he couldn’t feel Eiji’s letter. Suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open and he shoved the emergency responders off him and reached back towards the table to grab at the letter still laying there on its surface. The emergency responders grabbed his waist and struggled to hold him back.

“Please! Don’t leave that letter behind!” Ash cried out with tears spilling from his eyes. Some more blood dripped onto the floor, leaving conspicuous red splotches as Ash stiffened in pain. His right hand was almost close enough to touch Eiji’s letter.

“Whatever happens to me, please just… let me keep him… by my side…” Ash muttered weakly before his vision blacked out.


	2. Recovery and Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is on the shorter end as I personally struggled a bit with writing this part out and I decided to focus a little more on Ash's thoughts before getting right to things.

Ash was not expecting to open his eyes again or wake up at all. He was sure his last struggle to reach for Eiji’s letter at the library as blood spilled more intensely from his wound was it for him. However, the fact that he was having conscious thoughts was clearly telling him otherwise.

Ash slowly blinked his eyes open. A bright fluorescent light threatened to blind him. He tried to lift his arm to shield his vision from the sudden brightness, but he found that both his arms felt heavy and would refuse to move off the bed he was lying on. A bed?

Putting together the bright fluorescent lights above him, the soft mattress below him, the IV needle inserted into his arm, and the oxygen mask on his face, Ash realized exactly where he was.

When Ash looked over to the table on his right, he saw two open crumpled pieces of paper. His vision was still blurry, but he was still able to make out the dark red spots of blood staining the paper. Ash let out a faint sigh of relief. It seems his pleas to keep Eiji’s letter weren’t ignored after all.

Nevertheless, he was amazed that he was saved at all. After everything he’d done, the lives he had to take, the lives he had a part in ending… Ash was sure he wouldn’t be granted a second lease at life. Memories of Shorter and Skip enter his thoughts briefly. Ash could feel his eyes water slightly and closed them to prevent any tears from spilling out.

When he blinked his eyes open, he turned his head to look at Eiji’s letter again.

_My soul is always with you._

Ash closed his eyes regretfully. Even though Eiji had taken a gunshot wound and was probably badly injured, he still thought about Ash first. It filled Ash with an ugly mix of love and guilt. Despite how happy he was that Eiji truly cared about and loved him, Ash knew he’d practically defiled Eiji by letting him into his world. Eiji was so optimistic and an inspiring, bright presence. How could Ash let himself be so selfish as to sully that?

Though Ash realized Eiji had written that letter for him, even while hospitalized. He even enclosed plane tickets to Japan. He wanted Ash to go with him. Ash wonders if he is selfish for wanting to be with Eiji, if Eiji wanted to be with him too.

Ash is unable to ponder this further as he starts feeling drowsy. He closes his eyes and surrenders to sleep.

***

A couple of days later, Ash wakes up to a nurse coming into his room.

“Good morning. Well, it’s afternoon, but that’s beside the point,” she said while greeting Ash with a slight smile.

“Mm,” Ash mumbled quietly in response, still slowly waking up. The nurse took a seat next to his bed and checked on his vitals and inputted data into the tablet she carried.

“How are you feeling?” the nurse asked without pausing in her work.

“Mm.” Ash didn’t have the energy to muster a proper answer. He figured the nurse was simply asking him more as a formality anyways.

After several minutes, the nurse finally looks directly at Ash. “I found nothing abnormal and your recovery is going slowly but smoothly. You’re lucky that wound didn’t damage any vital organs.” If Ash had more strength and energy, he would’ve scoffed. Though perhaps, being alive and resting somewhat comfortably is not such a bad thing. The nurse continued, “You’ve been asleep for about 6 days. A couple people called in for you during that time.”

Ash’s eyes widened slightly. He had a pretty good idea of who could’ve called for him, though he still wondered if he had other enemies unaccounted for still searching for him.

“They seemed really worried. One of them will be coming in tomorrow at 3:00 PM.” Ash gave a slight nod. The nurse sighed and stood back up. She made her way to the room’s door and waved at Ash before heading back out.

Ash breathed out a small sigh of relief.


	3. A Father Figure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to be busy within the next several months, but I'll try to keep updating this semi-regularly.

“Yo!” Max poked his head through Ash’s hospital room door. He was wearing a huge grin and carrying a bouquet of flowers. Ash glanced at the clock on the wall in front his bed. Exactly 3:00 PM.

“… Ah, it’s you, Max,” Ash nonchalantly replied. He felt more awake than the previous day, but he still didn’t have the energy to reciprocate Max’s enthusiastic greeting. Though it was not like he particularly cared to anyway.

“Is that any way to greet your ‘dad’ after he came all this way to check up on you?! Jessica and I even made sure to get you flowers!” Max replied with a mix of annoyance and amusement. Ash found himself cracking a slight smile.

Max made his way into the room and sat down in the chair next to Ash’s bed and set the bouquet of flowers down on the nightstand. He tilted his head curiously when he saw Eiji’s crinkled letter on the nightstand.

“Even with everything that happened to him, it seems Eiji still thought about you.” Ash turned his head away from Max, the faint smile he had fading away completely. Max sighed. “Sorry if that hit a nerve. I know you’re worried about him too.” A moment of silence passed between the two. Ash tried to focus his attention on the gray sky outside the window, as though trying to dispel his thoughts of guilt into the dark clouds.

“Um… how are you feeling?” Max attempted to restart the conversation.

“Fine. Just been mostly asleep for the past week,” Ash replied casually. It had been quite a miracle that no one had come to hurt him while he was unconscious. However, Ash doesn’t feel quite ready to say he’s truly safe.

“Oh, well I figured. I’m glad that you’re finally awake though,” Max responded with a gentle smile. “How’s your injury? Must’ve been bad for a simple stab wound to have you out for a week.” Ash finally turned back to face Max with a humorless smile and a scoff.

“The assailant missed my vital organs. But mind you that I was bleeding out for quite a while, old man.” Ash doesn’t dare disclose to Max that he had let himself bleed out and was completely willing to let himself die in the library had no one intervened.

“Well, either way, I’m glad you’re safe. Everyone’s been worried about you, y’know.” The “everyone” doesn’t quite register with Ash. He’s had reliable allies and friends, but he doubts his death would’ve been of significant consequence to them. Max did take the time to come see him and his nurse mentioned others had called asking about him, so Ash allows himself to think, just for a second, that his being alive meant something. Then he allows himself to let his worry about Eiji’s safety cross his mind.

“Hey, did you hear anything from Ibe?” Ash asks. His eyes have faint trace of desperation shining within them.

“Hmm. Only the day after he and Eiji left for Japan. Though Eiji’s probably safe if that’s what you’re worried about,” Max replies solemnly. He wonders if Ibe or Eiji has heard about Ash getting stabbed. Though if Ibe got wind of the news first, he probably wouldn’t tell Eiji right away, Max figures. Eiji is probably still undergoing recovery himself.

Ash sighs in resignation. “Well, I guess it can’t be helped.” Max looks down sadly. Ash and Eiji can’t be together that easily as things stand right now, but it breaks Max’s heart to see Ash not even fight him to just try to contact Ibe to check on Eiji. In fact, it seems like Ash has lost his former fighting spirit altogether. Instead of voicing this to Ash, Max just stands up, preparing to leave. There’s not much more that can be said.

“I’ll be going now, but I’ll be sure to come visit again soon.” Max puts on a smile. “Rest well and recover soon. Everyone’s waiting for you.”

That “everyone” again. Ash thinks the least Max could do was name specific people. Nevertheless, he forces on a small smile of his own and waves to Max as he leaves the room.

Ash is left alone with his thoughts. Maybe next time, he’ll muster up the will to ask Max to contact Ibe and reconnect him with Eiji. Though maybe, it would be better for him to be discharged first. The last thing Ash wants is for Eiji to be worried to death over him again.


End file.
